Self-ventilating bearing assembly



m W R O C L. H

SELF-VENTILATING BEAR ING ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 6, 1957 mwLlk um.

HARRY LEE coRwlN WQ@ (1J.

NTOR

ATT NEV Patented Oct. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES g PATENT foFFIcE Application November 6, 1937, Serial No. 173,171

claims., (o1. sos-77) The object of the invention isl to provide a self-Ventilating bearing which may be operated at high speeds Without undue heating.

A corollary objectof the invention is to pro- 5 vide a bearing assembly for vibrator shafts such as are used in connection withvibrating screens, in which the self-Ventilating feature is incorporated in the assembly structure.

The invention may best be explained with refer'ence to the attached drawing, showingfillustrative embodiments thereof, in which Fig. 1 illustrates in side elevation a single bearing arranged for self ventilation in the manner of the invention;

1.5 Fig. 2 is a section through the single bearing and its case as on theline 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal elevation of a vibrator shaft assembly incorporating the self Ventilating feature;

Fig. 4 is a cross section of the assembly of Fig. 3 as on the line 4 4;

Fig. 5 is a section through an end of the assembly of Fig. 3, on the line 5 5, illustrated as mounted on a portion ofthe screen frame, and

Fig. 6 illustrates in longitudinal section a fragment of a modified form of the assembly of Fig. 3.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, Il] is any rotating shaft, on which isv mounted a bearingwhich, as shown, consists of inner race II, balls I2, outer race I3, and aligning ring I4, these elements representing any ball or roller bearing, while I5 is a fragment of any xed support which may conveniently be provided for the bearing. v

It should be said that while this description refers solely to ball or roller bearings, the self- Ventilating structure described is fully applicable to plain sleeve or slip bearings having a bearing surface of bronze, babbtt, or other metal.

Around this assembly, which is entirely Vconventional and may be of any dimensions, If'provide a housing which, in the form illustrated, l

v consists of two cups I6 and Il of thin sheet metal which may be passed over the ends of the shaft and retained on the bearing support by friction l or in other convenient manner. One of these cups (I6) closely approaches but does not touch the shaft and is relatively widely spaced from the bearing, and within this cup a vane or pair of vanes I8 is mounted on and revolves with the shaft. These vanes also may be of light sheet metal and may be mounted on a light hub or av spring ring I9 lightly gripping the shaft.` The periphery of cup I6 is provided with one or more openings 20, preferably arranged on the lower side of the cup.

The opposite cup (Il) may be shallower, has; no openings in its periphery, but is provided with a more or less central opening which may be in i5 the form of a mere spacing from the shaft as shown at 2I, or may be a tube passing through the housing to a more or less central point.

When the shaft so provided is rotated at relatively high speed, the vanes act as blower blades, 10 expelling air from openings 20 and aspirating a current of air through opening 2l. This air current passes between and around the balls or rollers I 2 and between the races and continuously withdraws theheat generated by high 15 speeds and heavy loads.

Figs. 3 to 6 illustrate a modication'of the above structure adapted to vibrator shafts as used in propellingfvibrating screens. Screening devices of this type are often given a rapid vi- 20 brating motion by revolving at high speed an unbalanced shaft mounted on the screen carrying member which, in turn, is mounted on resilient members such as sti helical springs or rubber blocks.

Such unbalanced shafts have heretofore been mounted on bearings arranged at or adjacent their ends. As they revolve at a high speed, up

Vto 3500 to 4000 R. P. M., and carry enough unbalanced weight to move the heavy screen frame 30e and load through an elliptical path of several hundredths of an inch, the duty on the bearings is `severe in the extreme and they are subject to much heating and rapid wear.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4, and 5, 30 is a housing 35i. tube, as for example of heavy walled seamless pipe bored internally to even diameter. 'Ihis tube is welded at its ends into flange rings 3 I 3l which in turn are welded at their lower edges to bases 32-32 which rest on the side members 40; 33 33 of screen element 34 (indicated by the dotted line) or on a cross-member resting on the side members as may be convenient.

Within the tube I place two end bearings 35 35 and at least one intermediate bearing 45- 36 three such intermediate bearings are shown in the drawing. All of these bearings, which are not detailed but will be understood to be ball or roller bearings and preferably'twc-row ball bearings ofthe internally self-aligning type, carry a 50 shaft 31 which is bored throughout its length as at 38.

The inner race of each bearing is brought to a light press flt on the shaft while the outer race is brought to a press fit in a cup 39 which, in turn, 55

Between the cup of each bearing and the cover plate of the cup next to it in order I place a ,Y

spacer 43, these spacers being sections o f pipe having an external diameter slightly less than the internal diameter of tube 30 and having squared ends. The cap plates 4I and 42 are drawn toward flanges 3l-.3I by a plurality of bolts 44 and when these bolts are tightened, the spacers cause each cup to be rmly pressed against.itsicoverplatev The entire row of cups and cover plates is thus firmlyheld yand positionedwhileV in service but isavailablepfor ready Withdrawal as a unit from either end of the tube Y on removal of one of the cap plates, and each unit of cup and cover plate provides a socket in which the outer race is retained radially while it may be left free tomove laterally if desired. It will be evident thateach cup may be. formed on the end of and'integral with onevof the, spacers.

The unbalanced weights 45 rotate within spacers 43 and are attached to the shaft bynieans of keys and keyways or of set screws, not shown.

In the variantofthe above construction shown inFig. 6 the inner races of the bearingsare a slip fit on the shaft and the ends ofY the unbalanced weights are so extended, as at 50, as to bear against the edges of these .races and thus space them, the assembly being retained bya shoulder, not shown, formed 4on one. end of theV shaft and a jam nut .6| on the otherend. In this form the spacers 43 are omitted and the vent holes' 41 are carried through the wall of the hollow shaft and the projecting ends of the, unbalanced weights d5. The cups 4l! are omitted and the outer races of bearing 36 are a press fit in cups 39 which are a close slip fit in housing tube 3,0.

Intermediate the bearings, the` spacers and also the housing tube 3B are. provided with openings 46, which may register` as shownin Fig. 3 or be oppositely disposed as shown inFig. 4l; The hollow shaft is also provided, in the parts between the bearing housingsand the unbalanced weights'V with openings 41, preferably directedl oppositely l from thev major projection of theweights. These openings may be inthe position shown ormay be within the bounds of cups 39to introduce oil more directly to the bearings. These weights, all proj ecting toward one side of the shaft, have the same effect as the vanes l 8 of Fig. 1 in aspirating a current of air into the hollow shaft and ex- 2,174,854 is formed to a close sliding t in tube 30. The i As it is obviouslyundesirable to draw atmospheric dust into the housing, from which it wouldl enter the bearings, an air lter of any preferred form is indicated at 48 as independently supported adjacent the end of shaft 31. It is also desirable to provide for the continuous lubrication of the bearings by means of an oil reservoir 49 having a gauge glass 50 and a sight feed drip 51 arranged to deliver oil to bore 38 by means of a tube 52 passing through the center of the airl filter. It has been found that oil introduced in this manner, as an occasional drop, forms a slowly advancing lm in bore 38 and is distributed between the various openings 41 with unexpected evenness, entering the compartments of the housing as a mist which penetrates and lubricates the bearings with a trifling oil consumption and without danger of overoiling.

In the attached claims the term frictionless bearing is used generically to include ball and roller bearings.

I claim as my invention:

1. A vibrator bearing assembly comprising: a tubular `fixed housing and ka shaft axially arrangedtherein, saidhousing having peripheral air ventsy and said shaft having a longitudinal channel and ports affording `Ycon'irnunication through said channel between the .atmosphere and the interior of said housing; a plurality of weightseccentrically projecting from said shaft and revolving therewiihwi'ihn said housing; a bearing-supporting each end o fsaid shaft Aadia- Qent the emisor said housing andrai least one intermediate bearing interposed between two of Said. weights, and means for pesitioning and retaining Said bearings within .Said housing.

2. An assembly, substantially as and for the mlpf, S61? forth in claim 1, in ,which said positioning and spacing means includes a cup surrolmililg. the Ollellrle. Of Cagli Sad. bearing 21nd slidably fitted within said. housing; tubular spacers interposed betweenY said cup s,van,d means for exerting longitudinal pressure within said housing in draw the ende efeaid, Spacers .again-Si the Sides Of Seideups, J

. en assembly substantially as and for they purpose, set forth in Claim. 1.,.ine1iidine an. air filler arranged. in. the patri. of air flow entering seid longitudinal., channel-.L f s 4, in assembly substantially as and for the Dureeeesei. feitnin Claim 1., in which said ports are positioned adjacent said bearings` and including, means, for continuously introducing lubricating oil into the air-inlet end of said longitudinal nlnannel-Y In eeinbinaiien with. a bearing: a shaft sunpeitedi by Fsaid bearing. said shaft havine'a longitudinal Channel therein and apport communicating .with Said channel; a xedheiising enelnsine abndy Qiair admitted by Seienori. i0 eiieulaie through-the bearing, said housinghaving a sub-- stantially peripheral opening for Vthe escape of ainand anV air engaging`A and circulating member` projected'ffrom Yat leastone side of said shaft and arranged, to revolvel therewith within said hous- HARRY LEE CORWIN. 

